First of all I must congratulate World Islamic Mission Canada for organizing this Eid Milaad-un-Nabi Conference, their second such conference. I hope, Insha Allah, that they will continue in their struggle to organize such sacred gatherings like this Eid Milaad-un-Nabi conference for the birth of our Holy Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam.

I must congratulate you, the audience, as well our brothers and sisters in Islam, for sacrificing your valuable time to attend this conference thereby making it such a success. Your presence here today demonstrates that although you are very far away from the Holy Land of Islam and the holy city of Madina; the love you have for the Holy Prophet is evident. Despite there is a physical distance of more than 10,000 miles, spiritually you are very near to the Holy Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. To me this would seem to indicate that Madina is present in the hearts of Muslims here in this country. Your presence at this Milaad-un-Nabi Conference for the Beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam, shows the strength of your Iman and faith in your beloved Prophet Mustafa Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam.

You have been in this gathering now for more than seven hours listening to lectures by various learned scholars. Some of you may not be aware that our beloved Prophet Syed-ul-aalameena Muhammadur Rasoolulaahi Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam is very much aware that you are present here. Although you cannot see him, he sees you. There is no question about this.

It is mentioned by Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala in the Holy Qur’an:

An-Nabbiyyu awlaa bil mu’mineena min an-fusihim… (Sura Ahzab, 6)

This is a very important verse of the Holy Qur’an, especially for Muslims who are living very far from the Holy City of Madina and may be thinking whether or not the Holy Prophet knows about their lives, and their love and attachment for him. We are faced with these questions from time to time. And Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala has answered it once and for all in the Holy Qur’an. You can read the Holy Qur’an and satisfy yourself with the solution to this problem which is: ‘The Holy Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves’. (Sura Ahzab, 6)

This is a very important point. We know that our souls and our physical beings are a part of our existence and thus we are very close to them. But, Rasoolullaah Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam is closer to the believers than their own selves.

An Urdu poet has translated this verse of the Holy Qur’an:

Sanaa hai, rahtay aqaa faqat Madinay mein.

Ghalat hai, rahtay woh ashiqon kay Seenay mein.

The First Milaad-un-Nabi Conference

Today we are here attending this gathering or conference which was called by the World Islamic Mission Canada. But, the first such conference was called by whom? The first gathering of this kind was called by no less than Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’alahimself, in which were present all of the Prophets.

The first such conference of its kind in which the audience were the souls of the Prophets (al arwah Anbiyaa-wal Mursaleen) was called by Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala and I quote a verse from the Holy Qur’an:

In this verse we see that Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala has called all the souls of the Prophets to make a covenant or an agreement. The purpose of this meeting or conference was to inform all the prophets that they will be sent as messengers to lead humanity to The Right Path. They will tell their respective nations (ummah) to worship Allah only and at the same time to inform them that ifthis prophet comes in your presence you will have to believe in him and support him. So we see that The Conference was called to introduce Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam to all 124,000 prophets. This was the first Milaad-un-Nabi conference and it was called by Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala in which he praised the name of His Beloved Rasoolulaah Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam and the audience were the prophets.

Another such conference did take place, and I quote as an example, Syedina Ibrahim Khaleelullaah when he finished renovating the Holy Ka’aba he made the following dua:

Rabbana wab’ath feehim rasulamminhum yatlu alaihim ayatika’ wayu ‘allimuhumul kitaba wal hikmata wayu zakki him innaka antal azeezul hakeem. (Al-Baqara,129) (And, Our Lord, raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who shall recite to them Thy revelations and teach them then the Book and the wisdom and purify them, surely You are the Mighty, the Wise) We see here how Prophet Ibrahim Khaleelullah remembered (an act of zikr) the name of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam.

Another Prophet, Hazrat Isa ibn Mariam alayhissalam – Jesus son of Mary called the Bani Israil (The Children of Israel) to another such conference or gathering in which the name of Rasoolullah Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam was mentioned: Wa iz qaala Isabnu Maryama Yaa bani Israila innee Rasululaahi ilaikum musaddiqalilma bayna yadayya minattawraati wa mubash-shiran birasulin ya’tee min ba’dismuhu Ahmad. (As-Saff, 6) Here we see how Hazrat Isa alayhissalam called a conference in which he declared that he is the messenger and he is here to give glad tidings; stating that after him there will come a messenger and his name will be Ahmad. So that was essentially a mehfil–e-maulood where the birth of the Prophet Muhammad Saalaahu alaihi wa Sallam was being discussed by Hazral Isa alayhissalaam and the audience was the Bani Israil or the Children of Israel.

Zikray Rasool – The Remembrance of The Prophet

So, in all of these incidents Zikray Mustafa Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam took place where the name of Prophet MuhammadSallaalahu alaihi wa Sallam was praised and remembered. First Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala called all the Prophets to praise him. The last such conference called by a prophet was by Hazrat Isa ibn Mariam alayhissalaam

Similar conferences were also called by all 124,000 prophets. Now try to understand the meaning of the following verses of theHoly Qur’an: Alam nashrah laka sadrak, wa wada’na anka wizrak allazee anqada dhahrak. Wa rafa’na laka zikrak. (Al-Inshirah,1-4). (Have we not expanded for you, your breast. And removed from you, your burden which weighed down your back. And exalted for you, your rememberance).

We see at the beginning of creation when there was nothing, no earth and moon, Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala praised and exalted the name of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. He himself did Zikray Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam with all the Prophets as the audience. And he is continuing to do so until now, believe me. Therefore, if today there is no Eid Milaad-un-Nabi in Canada or Pakistan or anywhere else, does this mean that there will be no Zikray Rasool? If no one remembers the Holy Prophet nor sends praises to him, who will perform Zikray Rasoo!? If we do not remember and praise Sycd-ul-aalameena Muhammadiir Rasoolulaahi Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam it is clear that his remembrance (zikr) will continue. Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala says in the Holy Qur’an: Innallaha wa malaaikatahu yusalluna alan Nabi Yaa ayyuhallazeena aamanu sallu alaihi wa salimu tasleema (al-Ahzab,56). In this well known verse we see that Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala is all the time exalting and praising his Beloved Prophet. So, if no one else does it; his name will still be continued to be praised by Allah himself.

This verse brings out a very important point. It tells us what activity Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala is currently involved with at this very moment in time. Is He performing salat five times a day?’ No. Allah does not pray since He Himself is The Creator. We as His creation and Muslims pray to him five times a day. Does Allah fast in the month of Ramadan? No. This form of ibadat are for believers, not for Allah. So what is Allah doing right now? For those believers who would like to know, Allah says that all of the time He is sending praises to his Beloved Rasool Sallallahu alailii wa Sallam. This is an on-going and continuous activity of AllahSub’hanhu wa Ta’ala!

Zikray Rasool – an act of ‘ibadat

Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala has exalted the name of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam by attaching it to His Name. Five times each day in the Adhan, the muaddhin declares that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam is his prophet. We know that the calling of the Adhan is an act of worship or ‘ibadat and the name of Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam is present in it. And since this involves the remembrance or the zikr of Rasoolulaah we can only conclude thatzikray rasool is ‘ibadat. The same applies to the iqaamat. Salat which is for Allah, consists of ruku, sajda, tilawat and cannot be completed until we send salaams and durood to the Holy Prophet. This shows how Allah Sub’hanhu wa Ta’ala has exalted the name of his beloved Rasool Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. That is, without his zikr you cannot complete your salat. So worshippers or namazees all over the world, whether in a mosque or outside of a mosque must perform zikray rasool because Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala promised His Beloved that he will exalt and raise his name. (Al-Inshirah, 1-4)

According to Imam Zarkani (RA), Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala, for example, sent His Salaams 12 times to Syedina Adam, 4 times to Syedina Idris, 50 times to Syedina Nuh. and 42 limes to Syedina Ibrahim. Angel Jibrail (AS) came down and delivered these Salaams to the prophets. And according to the verse: Sub’hana rabbika rabbil izatti ‘amma yasifoon. Wa Salaamun alal mursaleen Wal Hamdu Lilaahi Rabbil ‘aalameen (37: 180-182). Allah sent his salaam through Jibrail (AS) 10 times to Hazrat Isa Alayhissalam, 4 times to Hazrat Yacoob. 3 times to Hizratt Ayub alayhissalam. Subhan Allah. Imam Zarkanai wrote that no prophet ever received more than 100 Salaams from Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala. Imam Zarkani has also wrote that our beloved Prophet Syedul aalameena Muhammadur Rasoolulaahi Salllallahu alaihi wa SaIIam received Salaams through Jibril (AS) 24,000 times. Just picture the role of Jibril (AS). He would come down to earth and bring Salaams and The Message of Allah to the Holy Prophet, then would returned to Allah. This took place at least 24,000 times. Here we see Allah Subhanhu waTa’ala fulfilling his words: Innallaha wa malaaikatahu yusalluna alan Nabi. Yaa ayyuhallazeena aamanu sallu alaihi wa salimu tasleema. (al-Ahzab, 56).

So here we can see for ourselves the real meaning of this verse because Allah has sent and is continuously sending His Salaams on his beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam and from the believers He commands the same. For non-believers, there is no necessity. This is why I send my salaam to Rasoolullaah Sallallahu alaihi wa SaIIam and this is why you send your salaams to Rasoolullahi sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. Subhan Allah! [Durood was recited].

So we have been celebrating Eid MiIaad-un-Nabi for our beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam and for the above reasons I hope, Insha Allah, we will all continue to do so until the Day of Qayamah. Through the celebration of Milaad-un-Nabi we continue to get the blessings of our beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam.